Sense of Family
by Jacinda
Summary: NS: He wanted to give her more than materials things for Christmas; he really wanted to give her a sense of family.


A/N: I'm experimenting with writing in the 3rd person, which is like pulling teeth for me because I really like how introspective 1st person is . . . I need to do something tokeep all my stories from sounding the same. I'm also exhausted from my final exams (when you enter into medical school they don't tell you that you will go for days with barely any sleep . . . or food . . . or contact with something other than books . . . I really need some good CSI right now!!!), so please please let me know if this even makes sense or if you like it or if there is something I need to improve on (medical students are creatures that thrive on constantly out-doing themselves). I hope you all like it! Happy Holidays. Love, Jac

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Sara felt lost among the sea of people that Nick described as 'only his close family.' Although the living room and great room merged into a spacious area, she felt a little claustrophobic. He could tell from looking at how she uncomfortably shifted as she talked to his first cousin once removed. She nervously tugged at her silver hoop earring; she only did that when she was somewhere beyond overwhelmed. He could tell that she was trying to figure out how the hell to remember yet another blonde with three children, a lawyer for a husband, and a sickeningly sweet Southern accent. Nick had joked earlier this evening that they were all dyed from the same bottle ever since age sixteen. When Sara asked why, he said that it was just a southern belle thing. Nick almost laughed at her frustration as he chatted with one of the husbands of one of the stereotypical blondes that Sara was talking to.

Sara had confided to him that she had never been in a room with more than just her immediate family. He knew from multiple experiences that she became nervous and slightly phobic every time she was trapped in a room of people that she was not familiar with. Nick could remember Sara having panic attacks before giving talks at the continuing education conferences they were required to attend. It was a secret that he kept well hid. Nick knew that there was a very fragile woman inside the walls Sara built around herself. She had only let her guard down a few times, but that was enough for him to begin to burrow his way into her life. Sara was reluctant at first, but she slowly had begun to depend on him over the last few months.

It all started with an innocent cut on her hand that required stitches; he could remember her calling him and saying that she had cut her palm while making supper. Sara asked him to please bring gauze and bandages; she was in her kitchen bleeding all over the new kitchen towels that she had bought only last week. He nearly had to hold a gun to her head to get her to go to the emergency room; she nearly fainted at the mention of stitches. She did faint the moment she saw the suture needle pierce her anesthetized skin. He held her good hand the entire time she lay passed out on the gurney. That was the first time he really saw Sara. Nick was intrigued with the slightly scared, phobic woman that Sara could be when she wasn't worried about impressing Grissom. Nick couldn't believe that someone like that was tucked away in an anal-retentive, obsessive, angry shell. Sara was so much more human than he would have ever guessed.

One emergency room visit lead to breakfast, which lead to a few suppers and cocktails. It all seemed innocent enough; no one at work suspected a thing. Only Greg commented that something about Sara had seemingly lightened in the passing weeks; Sara wasn't as angry. Greg even gloated that he got Sara to play hooky with him on the way back to the lab after analyzing a scene; he talked her into stopping at Krispy Kreme for doughnuts and coffee. Nick was pleasantly surprised when he found an apple in his locker and a short note that read _Knew you didn't like anything sweet, so saw this . . . thought of you. _He thought she was so wrong; he did occasionally crave something sweet, but this time it was her.

Dating was easy for them; working together proved to be more of a challenge. Nick was too affectionate and protective; Sara had a tendency to pull away from anything that could later be misconstrued as 'provocative and unprofessional' by an ego-driven defense attorney. The coldness of the hours that they worked together always gave way to a fierce passion the minute they walked through someone's front door in the morning. It wasn't normally about sex; it was about forgetting the faces of the victims and forgetting the pain that humans could inflict on each other. They created a safe haven that felt like it was a million miles away from the crime lab.

Two months ago, he asked her what she was going to do on Christmas. Sara lowered her eyes to the ground and said that her only plans were to catch up on sleep and read a novel that she had been meaning to get to. He asked her to go to Texas with him. She looked terrified of the prospect of meeting his family; he gently explained that it would be only close family on Christmas. She gave in without another word of encouragement. He even swore that at one point she was looking forward to the holiday. Sara had admitted that she never celebrated Christmas. Her parents didn't think it was necessary. He couldn't understand, but Sara explained that her parents were more interested in themselves than the two children that they accidentally had created. It confused him more because he couldn't imagine not having his brother, five sisters, and parents. He had grown up in a house that was filled with constant cacophonous noise; Sara had grown up in a fearful, quiet prison. Nick wanted to give her something more than material things this holiday; he wanted to give her a sense of family that she never had before.

Nick remembered how Sara began to tear as his mother greeted her at the airport. Evelyn hugged Sara like she was her own daughter returning home for the holidays. His father told Sara that she was so much more beautiful than Nick had described. Nick wasn't surprised that they gave Sara slightly more attention than himself. He was surprised that Sara didn't seem to mind it; she actually seemed to be excited to spend the day decorating sugar cookies and helping prepare food for tonight's large Christmas Eve gathering. Sara had even been excited to meet all his sisters and all their children. The oldest Stokes boy wouldn't be here this year; he sent his love from overseas. Evelyn immediately showed Sara the tape Michael had sent from Iraq. He heard Sara say that she wished that she could have met Michael this year. Nick was amazed at how Sara had taken to his family; it was much like the way that everything about their relationship just seemed to be right. He knew that there wasn't a good way to say it; something about who they were together was just so much more magical than who they were when they were apart.

His sisters told him that they liked Sara. They asked if Sara might just be the one to marry their little brother; Nick warned them not to push him . . . or her. He didn't want to rush something as important . . . as special Sara. However, Nick did figure if Sara could withstand his family for a week, marriage might prove to be easy. He knew that his five older sisters would be more than happy to be wedding planners; the minute Sara would say yes, they would have a small army taking care of all the arrangements.

All he could do was watch her. Truth be told, Nick wasn't exactly sure of the name of the man that he was talking to. They all looked vaguely alike. He only heard parts of the conversation; Nick was just too busy taking in how beautiful Sara looked. Evelyn had taken her shopping two days ago; they came back with bags of clothes and acting as if they had known each other a million years. Nick was a little startled that his mother was the one to suggest the dress that Sara was wearing; Nick could remember the power struggles his sisters went through in preparation for proms. Nick's parents would have sent each of them in potato sacks if possible. His mother always seemed to surprise him; he wasn't expecting a strapless wine colored dress that clung to Sara's curves. Nick wasn't exactly sure how to thank his mother.

"Hey, are you still there?" Sara whispered in his ear. He was startled that his cousin had stopped talking long enough for Sara to escape.

"Are you having a good time?" He asked a little afraid of what the answer might be.

"You didn't let me know that your family is the reason why Texas is so overpopulated," Sara replied. He laughed; he wrapped his hand around hers.

"I love you," he replied; he quickly sucked in his breath. Those words hadn't been uttered in the relationship yet; he didn't want to rush them.

"I love you too," Sara replied as she rested against his shoulder. It was the perfect Christmas, and he couldn't help to be excited at the prospect of all the good things to come in the future.


End file.
